CHICAGO (May 9, 2018) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will hold its third event of the year as 23 players will come to the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif., from May 11-18.

U.S. U-23 WNT head coach B.J. Snow will likely name one more player before the game starts. The camp will overlap with a U.S. U-20 WNT training camp also being held at the NTC and the teams will scrimmage twice, on Monday, May 14 at 7 p.m. PT in the Track & Field Stadium and on Thursday, May 17 at 4 p.m. PT on University Field 1.

Snow has called up all college players, including seven from reigning NCAA champion Stanford and three from NCAA runners-up UCLA. One of those Stanford players, forward Kyra Carusa, has since graduated and transferred to Georgetown where she will play her final season as she pursues a Master’s Degree.

Three players – defenders Tierna Davidson, Tegan McGrady and Hallie Mace – were all with the full U.S. Women’s National Team for its most recent pair of friendly matches against Mexico in April. McGrady and Mace, both rising seniors, at Stanford and UCLA respectively, earned their first senior team caps in a 6-2 win on April 8, while Davidson has started all six games for the U.S. WNT so far this year and is tied for the team-lead in minutes played in 2018.

An additional three players – Penn State defender Kaleigh Riehl, UCLA midfielder Marley Canales and Texas A&M forward Ally Watt – were a part of the U.S. team that finished fourth at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea. The speedy Watt scored twice off the bench in that tournament.

The U-23 WNT was last together for three matches in early March against NWSL teams at the Thorns Spring Invitational in Portland, Ore., where it lost to the Houston Dash (2-1), tied the Thorns (2-2) and beat the Chicago Red Stars (1-0). Stanford forward Catarina Macario scored all four goals for the USA in that tournament.

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 14, 2018) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team drew 2-2 with the host Portland Thorns at the 2018 Thorns Spring Invitational as forward Catarina Macario scored both goals for the USA.
Portland went ahead in the 19th minute on a goal from Ifeoma Onumonu. U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Lindsey Horan set up the play when she picked off a pass near m
Read more

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 11, 2018) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell to the Houston Dash, 2-1, in the first of three games at the 2018 Thorns Spring Invitational.
The score line was the same as in last year’s meeting between the U.S. U-23s and the Dash at the 2017 Thorns Spring Invitational, but in that game a 74th minute goal from Savannah McCaskill was cancelled out b
Read more

CHICAGO (March 8, 2018) – U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team head coach B.J. Snow has named 24 players to the roster for the Thorns Spring Invitational which will see the USA taking on three NWSL teams between March 11-17 at Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland.
This is the third year the pre-season tournament has been contested and the U.S. U-23s will be participat
Read more

CHICAGO (February 15, 2018) – For the second year in a row, the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will participate in the Thorns Spring Invitational, which will run from March 11-17 in Portland, Oregon, as the USA takes on three NWSL teams at Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland.
This is the third year the pre-season tournament has been contested and will feature
Read more

CHICAGO (Jan. 2, 2018) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will hold its first training camp of the year from Jan. 4-11 at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif. The event will overlap with the full U.S. WNT training camp also being held at the NTC.
U.S. head coach B.J. Snow has called 23 college players and three NWSL players in forwards Summer Green of the
Read more

CHICAGO (Nov. 28, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will hold its final training camp of the year from Nov. 28-Dec. 4 in Orlando, Florida.
U.S. head coach B.J. Snow has called 22 college players and four NWSL players to the fifth domestic event of the year for this age group that also took two trips overseas to Spain in March and Sweden in June.
The NWSL players called up
Read more

CHICAGO (July 19, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will come together in Seattle, Washington from July 21-28 for a training camp featuring 24 players.
U.S. head coach B.J. Snow has called 20 college players and four youth club players to the camp, which includes a match against the Seattle Sounders Women of the WPSL on Monday, July 24 at 6 p.m. at the Husky Soccer Sta
Read more

SUNNE, Sweden (June 12, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team defeated Sweden, 2-1, with 17-year-old midfielder Jaelin Howell and North Carolina Courage forward Ashley Hatch tallying the goals.
The USA went unbeaten at the Women’s U-23 Four-Nations Nordic Tournament, also defeating Norway 3-0 and drawing 0-0 with England, but the English won the tournament based on a
Read more

SUNNE, Sweden (June 9, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team drew 0-0 with England in its second match of the Women’s U-23 Four-Nations Nordic Tournament.
In the other match of the day, Sweden defeated Norway 1-0. Heading into the final match day on June 12, the USA is tied with England on points with each team having a win and a tie, but England is ahead on the next
Read more

KARLSTAD, Sweden (June 6, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team defeated Norway 3-0, scoring three times after the 70th minute, in its opening game of the U-23 Four-Nations Nordic Tournament in Sweden.
In the other match, England defeated Sweden, 4-0. The USA will next face England on June 9 and then finish against Sweden on June 12.
All of the NWSL players who arrived on MRead more

CHICAGO (May 31, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will travel to Sweden for the 2017 Women’s U-23 Open Nordic Tournament where it will face Norway (June 6 in Karlstad), England (June 9 in Mallbacken) and Sweden (June 12 in Mallbacken) during the international break.
Acting U.S. U-23 WNT head coach B.J. Snow has named 22 players for the four-team tournament, sevenRead more

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 7, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell 3-0 to the Orlando Pride during its training camp in Florida.
U.S. Women’s National Team pool player Kristen Edmonds scored the first two goals in the first half and Jasmyne Spencer added a third in the 72nd minute.
Edmonds opened the scoring in the 12th minute, stepping in to intercept a pass from a URead more

PORTLAND, Oregon (April 1, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team drew 0-0 with the Chicago Red Stars to finish the Thorns Spring Invitational with a 1-1-1 record. The USA fell to the Houston Dash by a 2-1 score in its first game and then beat the Portland Thorns, 2-1.
Both teams fired nine shots while Bella Geist and Casey Murphy shared the shutout in goal for the USA. MurpRead more

PORTLAND, Oregon (March 29, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team defeated the Portland Thorns 2-1 in its second of three games at the Thorns Spring Invitational.
Forward Sophia Smith scored the game-winner on the stroke of 90 minutes, taking advantage of a bad giveaway by Thorns goalkeeper Adrianna Franch, who scuffed a pass right to the U.S. forward, giving her a one-on-oRead more

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 26, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell to the Houston Dash, 2-1, in the first of three games at the Thorns Spring Invitational.
The USA took the lead against the NWSL club in the 74th minute on goal from South Carolina forward Savanna McCasKill and seemed to have the victory locked up before the Dash rallied for an equalizer in the 89th minute Read more

We have not consulted the definitely-smarter-than-us, advanced-degree-laden folks at Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight.com, but we’re thinking the odds of the U.S. Women’s National Team programs playing 17 international matches over 12 days and going undefeated are pretty long.

Still, the standards are high for any player that pulls on the U.S. Soccer crest and five teams certainly lived up to those expectations in March, going 14-0-3.

“I’m thrilled with the success of all our teams over the last year and most recently this month,” said U.S. Soccer Women’s Technical Director April Heinrichs. “The core of our success depends on players improving throughout their journey in our program. The beautiful thing about our program is the training mentality, willingness to improve and relentless pursuit of excellence by all our coaches and players on a daily basis. It’s quite frankly one of, if not, the most competitive training environment in the world.”

While U.S. Soccer’s focus for its youth teams remain firmly on development, part of that growth of players comes from playing against the best, thus the push to schedule more international matches. While early March is always a busy time for the U.S. Women’s National Teams, with the senior side usually heading to the Algarve Cup in Portugal and the younger teams cutting their competitive teeth against top sides from Europe in La Manga, Spain, 2016 saw the most international matches ever in this short time period.

This year, the U.S. Women were absent from the Algarve Cup for the first time in 19 years, instead hosting the SheBelieves Cup, a tournament that featured four of the top teams in the world. Four of the USA’s youth national teams were also in action, with three playing against older competition. The U.S. Under-23 WNT traveled to Croatia to take on two women’s national teams. The U.S. U-20 WNT squared off against U-23 teams in La Manga, Spain and the U.S. U-18 WNT faced U-19 teams, also in La Manga.

The U.S. U-17 WNT played against its own age group, albeit with the highest stakes, winning the 2016 CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship in Grenada while earning a berth to the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Jordan.

The 17-game run got started with a bang on March 2 as the U-23 WNT defeated the Slovenia WNT on goals from Shea Groom, Taylor Smith and Andi Sullivan while the U-20 WNT drew with the Sweden U-23s, 1-1.

On March 3, the senior side kicked off the SheBelives Cup with a rousing win against England on a brilliant strike from Crystal Dunn, and the U.S. U-18 WNT drew with the Denmark U-19s, 0-0. The U.S. teams would fail to win just once more, that coming in the strangest result of the month, a 0-0 draw on March 4 by the U.S. U-23s against the Poland U-19s in a match that saw the USA out-shoot Poland 25-0 without scoring. But hey, that’s soccer.

A busy March 4 also saw a 1-0 win for the U.S. U-20 WNT against the England U-23s on a late goal from Ally Watt and the U.S. U-17s open their World Cup qualifying campaign by dominating Jamaica as Frankie Tagliaferri came off the bench to score four consecutive goals.

March 5 had just one game as the U.S. U-18s downed the England U-19s, 1-0, as Abby Kim scored the game-winner, giving the USA three 1-0 wins over England at three different age levels in a span of three days, all on late goals.

March 6 saw the U-23s rebound from the draw with Poland to defeat the France National “B” Team 2-0 on goals from Groom and Christina Gibbons (France’s full team was competing in the SheBelieves Cup), the U-20 WNT defeat Norway U-23s 2-1 as Watt once again scored the game-winner, and the U-17s pick up a huge group win over Mexico as Ashley Sanchez scored the lone goal.

On March 7, the USA defeated France 1-0 in the SheBelieves Cup on Alex Morgan’s goal, and the U-18 WNT downed the Norway U-19s as Kim scored her second game-winner in as many matches.

After that, it was up to the full WNT and the U-17s to finish off the almost perfect month with some of the most difficult games of the stretch.

The USA came from behind to defeat the world’s second-ranked team, Germany, 2-1, on goals from Morgan and Samantha Mewis to win the SheBelieves Cup while the U-17s demolished Canada, 5-0, in the semifinal to earn their berth to Jordan before playing a highly entertaining match against Mexico in the championship. Ashley Sanchez staked the USA to a first half lead, but Mexico equalized late in the game, setting the stage for some heroics from Civana Kuhlmann, who volleyed home off a cross from Sophia Smith with four minutes left in regulation to cap a March to remember.

All in all, the five U.S. teams scored 33 goals, allowed just five (never more than one per game) and won six games 1-0 and three more 2-1.

While player development is still and always will be the priority, the recent run of game success is a sign that the system is working, which can only bode well for the future, even as the landscape of the women’s international game continues to change and become even more competitive.

“The number one priority for all of our coaches is to develop players for the next level that feed up to the Women’s National Team,” added Heinrichs. “If we do it well, players arrive at the higher level more sophisticated and ready to contribute to our quest for another World Cup championship.”

CHICAGO (May 9, 2018) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will hold its third event of the year as 23 players will come to the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif., from May 11-18.

U.S. U-23 WNT head coach B.J. Snow will likely name one more player before the game starts. The camp will overlap with a U.S. U-20 WNT training camp also being held at the NTC and the teams will scrimmage twice, on Monday, May 14 at 7 p.m. PT in the Track & Field Stadium and on Thursday, May 17 at 4 p.m. PT on University Field 1.

Snow has called up all college players, including seven from reigning NCAA champion Stanford and three from NCAA runners-up UCLA. One of those Stanford players, forward Kyra Carusa, has since graduated and transferred to Georgetown where she will play her final season as she pursues a Master’s Degree.

Three players – defenders Tierna Davidson, Tegan McGrady and Hallie Mace – were all with the full U.S. Women’s National Team for its most recent pair of friendly matches against Mexico in April. McGrady and Mace, both rising seniors, at Stanford and UCLA respectively, earned their first senior team caps in a 6-2 win on April 8, while Davidson has started all six games for the U.S. WNT so far this year and is tied for the team-lead in minutes played in 2018.

An additional three players – Penn State defender Kaleigh Riehl, UCLA midfielder Marley Canales and Texas A&M forward Ally Watt – were a part of the U.S. team that finished fourth at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea. The speedy Watt scored twice off the bench in that tournament.

The U-23 WNT was last together for three matches in early March against NWSL teams at the Thorns Spring Invitational in Portland, Ore., where it lost to the Houston Dash (2-1), tied the Thorns (2-2) and beat the Chicago Red Stars (1-0). Stanford forward Catarina Macario scored all four goals for the USA in that tournament.

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 14, 2018) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team drew 2-2 with the host Portland Thorns at the 2018 Thorns Spring Invitational as forward Catarina Macario scored both goals for the USA.
Portland went ahead in the 19th minute on a goal from Ifeoma Onumonu. U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Lindsey Horan set up the play when she picked off a pass near m
Read more

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 11, 2018) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell to the Houston Dash, 2-1, in the first of three games at the 2018 Thorns Spring Invitational.
The score line was the same as in last year’s meeting between the U.S. U-23s and the Dash at the 2017 Thorns Spring Invitational, but in that game a 74th minute goal from Savannah McCaskill was cancelled out b
Read more

CHICAGO (March 8, 2018) – U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team head coach B.J. Snow has named 24 players to the roster for the Thorns Spring Invitational which will see the USA taking on three NWSL teams between March 11-17 at Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland.
This is the third year the pre-season tournament has been contested and the U.S. U-23s will be participat
Read more

CHICAGO (February 15, 2018) – For the second year in a row, the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will participate in the Thorns Spring Invitational, which will run from March 11-17 in Portland, Oregon, as the USA takes on three NWSL teams at Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland.
This is the third year the pre-season tournament has been contested and will feature
Read more

CHICAGO (Jan. 2, 2018) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will hold its first training camp of the year from Jan. 4-11 at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif. The event will overlap with the full U.S. WNT training camp also being held at the NTC.
U.S. head coach B.J. Snow has called 23 college players and three NWSL players in forwards Summer Green of the
Read more

CHICAGO (Nov. 28, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will hold its final training camp of the year from Nov. 28-Dec. 4 in Orlando, Florida.
U.S. head coach B.J. Snow has called 22 college players and four NWSL players to the fifth domestic event of the year for this age group that also took two trips overseas to Spain in March and Sweden in June.
The NWSL players called up
Read more

CHICAGO (July 19, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will come together in Seattle, Washington from July 21-28 for a training camp featuring 24 players.
U.S. head coach B.J. Snow has called 20 college players and four youth club players to the camp, which includes a match against the Seattle Sounders Women of the WPSL on Monday, July 24 at 6 p.m. at the Husky Soccer Sta
Read more

SUNNE, Sweden (June 12, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team defeated Sweden, 2-1, with 17-year-old midfielder Jaelin Howell and North Carolina Courage forward Ashley Hatch tallying the goals.
The USA went unbeaten at the Women’s U-23 Four-Nations Nordic Tournament, also defeating Norway 3-0 and drawing 0-0 with England, but the English won the tournament based on a
Read more

SUNNE, Sweden (June 9, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team drew 0-0 with England in its second match of the Women’s U-23 Four-Nations Nordic Tournament.
In the other match of the day, Sweden defeated Norway 1-0. Heading into the final match day on June 12, the USA is tied with England on points with each team having a win and a tie, but England is ahead on the next
Read more

KARLSTAD, Sweden (June 6, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team defeated Norway 3-0, scoring three times after the 70th minute, in its opening game of the U-23 Four-Nations Nordic Tournament in Sweden.
In the other match, England defeated Sweden, 4-0. The USA will next face England on June 9 and then finish against Sweden on June 12.
All of the NWSL players who arrived on MRead more

CHICAGO (May 31, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team will travel to Sweden for the 2017 Women’s U-23 Open Nordic Tournament where it will face Norway (June 6 in Karlstad), England (June 9 in Mallbacken) and Sweden (June 12 in Mallbacken) during the international break.
Acting U.S. U-23 WNT head coach B.J. Snow has named 22 players for the four-team tournament, sevenRead more

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 7, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell 3-0 to the Orlando Pride during its training camp in Florida.
U.S. Women’s National Team pool player Kristen Edmonds scored the first two goals in the first half and Jasmyne Spencer added a third in the 72nd minute.
Edmonds opened the scoring in the 12th minute, stepping in to intercept a pass from a URead more

PORTLAND, Oregon (April 1, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team drew 0-0 with the Chicago Red Stars to finish the Thorns Spring Invitational with a 1-1-1 record. The USA fell to the Houston Dash by a 2-1 score in its first game and then beat the Portland Thorns, 2-1.
Both teams fired nine shots while Bella Geist and Casey Murphy shared the shutout in goal for the USA. MurpRead more

PORTLAND, Oregon (March 29, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team defeated the Portland Thorns 2-1 in its second of three games at the Thorns Spring Invitational.
Forward Sophia Smith scored the game-winner on the stroke of 90 minutes, taking advantage of a bad giveaway by Thorns goalkeeper Adrianna Franch, who scuffed a pass right to the U.S. forward, giving her a one-on-oRead more

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 26, 2017) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell to the Houston Dash, 2-1, in the first of three games at the Thorns Spring Invitational.
The USA took the lead against the NWSL club in the 74th minute on goal from South Carolina forward Savanna McCasKill and seemed to have the victory locked up before the Dash rallied for an equalizer in the 89th minute Read more

The U.S. U-23 WNT returns to beautiful La Manga, Spain, for three games in a six-team invitational tournament. It’s an exciting time for thirteen players on the roster as they are set to begin their professional careers, heading straight to their NWSL preseason camps following this event. Head coach Janet Rayfield shares her optimism for the squad as Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Sarah Killion (Sky Blue FC), Caprice Dydasco (Washington Spirit), Shea Groom (FC Kansas City) and Jaelene Hinkle (Western New York Flash), all youth WNT veterans, talk about going pro and embracing the unique environment of the U-23s. Read more

At the Six Nations Tournament in early March in La Manga, Spain, four 2014 NWSL Draft picks talk about making the transition from college and the youth national teams to the pros. Maya Hayes (Sky Blue FC), Kassey Kallman (FC Kansas City), Amanda Frisbie (Seattle Reign) and Jenna Richmond (FC Kansas City) explain how playing internationally has helped them prep for their first NWSL seasons. Read more

The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team won its second match at the Six Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain, defeating Sweden 2-1 on goals from Stanford forward Chioma Ubogagu and FC Kansas City draft pick Frances Silva. Read more

The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team won its first match at the Six Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain, defeating Japan 1-0 on a 56th-minute goal from Kealia Ohai, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 NWSL College Draft by the Houston Dash. Read more

The U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team, featuring a squad of young professionals and top collegiate players, is in La Manga, Spain, under the guidance of head coach Steve Swanson to play three tough international matches in a five-day span. The USA will face Japan (March 1), Sweden (March 3) and Norway (March 5). Read more

Brandon McDonald is a defender for the San Jose Earthquakes while Jessica McDonald is a UNC Tar Heel who was just drafted to the Chicago Red Stars of the WPS. The siblings are both in Carson, Calif. this January, Brandon with the MNT and Jessica with the WNT. Read more